PMSEIC and Policy Development in Areas of Strategic Importance to Australia's Future. (December 18, 2012)

On June 26, 2012 the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans, announced that Australia's four Learned Academies will work together to provide the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) with research-based evidence that will support policy development in areas of strategic importance to Australia's future and the Australian Research Council (ARC), is investing $10 million in the Linkage Learned Academies Special Projects scheme.

He said:

The Australian Council of Learned Academies (AcoLA) will use this $10 million investment for a series of strategic research programs selected by PMSEIC and the Chief Scientist, [and] "Australia's best minds will deliver their research findings to the ARC and to the Chief Scientist, who will take the work to PMSEIC. The research findings will give the Chief Scientist and PMSEIC a strong evidence-base with which they will recommend new policies that will help secure a strong, fair and productive future for Australia. World class science and research is crucial to Australia's future competitiveness. We must ensure science and research policy underpins industry and innovation and drives them to adapt to the modern economy.

This past December 12, 2012 PMSEIC held its third and final meeting for the year and it reports in its media release that the Office of the Chief Scientist in writing to "organisations, peak bodies and individuals" posed the question: What are the top breakthrough actions that the Commonwealth and state/territory governments, research agencies, universities and the business community can take to utilise fully Australia’s substantial research capability to contribute to national productivity growth through innovation?

Sixty-five written responses were received "offering a wide range of opinions, with many presenting consistent themes and issues." And apparently as a result: "A new way to look at Australia’s scientific research performance was considered by the Council, which highlights the potential improvement to performance from setting strategic research priorities," and therefore the office of the Office of the Chief Scientist has "assessed the relevance, value and applicability of international priority setting procedures. The Chief Scientist also consulted with government scientific advisors in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and New Zealand."

Finely the Council's media release reports that "A report on the Securing Australia’s Future program, undertaken on behalf of PMSEIC by the Australian Council of Learned Academies, was tabled; including two interim project reports."

It's notable that no links have been provided to the "65 written submissions", the report on the Securing Australia’s Future program or the two interim project reports. and there is no indication as to who was present for the meeting.

The lack of transparency in regard to the PMSEIC meetings as well as the lack of substance in the reporting of its deliberations is both notable and disturbing.